Christmas and New Year's in Wijster, NL - 2009

We got to spend a great almost two weeks with my family in Holland over the Christmas/ New Year break. For once we decided not to race all over the country to see places and do touristy things, but instead just enjoyed a relaxing time at my parents house, having fun with family, and making a few small outings. We must have brought the snow back from Wyoming, because for the first time in forever there was a white Christmas in the Netherlands, which made everything look so beautiful. I forgot how cold the Dutch winters can get though! Even though the thermometer doesn't indicate something too threatening, all that moisture just makes for a wet cold that goes straight to your bones...BRRR!
The first week we visited my sister at her place in Wageningen one afternoon, where she is kicking butt working on her Master's degree (a place regarded the largest food & nutrition research development area in the world). We had fun walking around town and along the 'uiterwaarden' of the river Rhine, but it was just a little too chilly to be out too long. We also went to see my brother and his wife and their kids in Heerde, where I got to meet my youngest nephew Tesse for the first time! It was so fun to watch the three cousins play together, the boys very willing to share their toys with Andi, and before we knew it she was surrounded, almost coverd with all their cars and trucks :).
On Christmas day, my brother and his fam, and my sister and boyfriend Dennis all came over and we enjoyed a fantastic 7 course dinner prepared by my parents...Yum! We had fun unwrapping Christmas presents, and just hanging out.
The next week, my mom and sister and I had a chance to go to the city of Zwolle for a day, and go shopping together: Always good times! On New Year's, everyone except my brother (who was back at sea for work) was at my parents' again, and we got to ring in the new year with some fantastic fireworks courtesy of Dennis. Other than that, we just relaxed, played a game, chatted, went for some walks in the area, my sister and I got to go on two runs together (she kicked my butt...she is fast!), and enjoyed fantastic food prepared by the best cook, my dad. Of course Oma and Opa also got plenty of snuggle time with Andi :)
Andi did pretty good on her first plane ride... no major cry fests or painful ears. She didn't fall asleep easy though, so she'd get overly tired and then a little bit fussy, but eventually did manage to get some naps in our lap. Then after naps and food she'd be back to her happy smiling self, and flirt with everyone in the cabin :) I took some pictures of her first plane ride, but for some reason they are not on my camera, so who knows ...
Here are a few shots from our vacation:

The best place for an after travel nap: in the hammock by the fireplace.

With dad in the hammock

Sleepy on mommy's shoulder

Ready to taste some of Opa's cooking!

Tesse and Andi by the tree

Ivan and Andi by the tree

From her sweet aunt Liselotte, a late traditional Sinterklaas present: her first initial in chocolate (for mommy to eat of course ... yay!)

Ivan in the apron I made him

Mmmm eating a Dutch pancake at a pancake house.

Playing bilingual Scrabble with Dennis and Liselotte. As you can see, my sister and I take it very seriously :) She won.

Our bilingual board...quite interesting to play it that way...we even turned Dutch words into English ones, and vice versa :) Of course Ben was at a slight disadvantage only knowing one of the languages

Ah, the boys just can't help it. Killing things on the PS3

Sitting on Oma's lap

The whole fam. (clockwise from top: Dennis, Opa, Oma, Bastian, Ben, me, Andi, Erika, Tesse, Ivan, and Liselotte)

My brother and I and the kids

The three cousins playing together

Playing on the floor with Opa

With great grandpa Mooiweer

Playing with uncle Bastian

Playing with uncle Dennis

Excited about food!

Sittin' on the rocking horse.

My sister and I deepfrying Oliebollen for New Year's eve.

Ben with Andi, and my brother with his youngest, Tesse.

Auntie Liselotte playing with Andi.

My beautiful sister and my little doll :)

My parents' thatched roof house


Going back home - Early morning at Schiphol airport, watching the planes with daddy.


Back home in Laramie ... exhausted and too cute :)

9 Months!

Andi is 9 months old today! Yesterday we went to see Dr. Horst for her 9 month well visit, and we are so thankful that again she checks out all healthy :)

Here are her stats:

Height: 27" (30th percentile, down from 45th. She grew about 1.5" in 3 months)

Weight: 18lbs 13.5oz (50th percentile, down from 75th. She gained about 1.5 lbs in 3 months)

Head circumference: 44.4 cm (63rd percentile, up from 55th)

A standard check included a blood test for hemoglobin levels: all in a normal range (14), so she's not anemic. She's also right on track developmentally. We've been enjoying her brabbeling. She says "Mam mam mam" a lot, and I'm looking forward to the time when she knows what that means! In the mean time, we'll work on the word "dada" too :)

Here's her 9 month shot with Slungel:

Big smile, because I've got both my fists full of banana crackers!

Oh the places you will go ... (part II)

Andi got her first passport today .... The world is now open for travel! Wohoo! First trip on the agenda: spending two weeks in the Netherlands with my side of the family for Christmas and New Years.... we can hardly wait to go!

It's a US passport, maybe she'll get a Dutch one too one day :)

Doesn't she look proud?

Thanksgiving pix

Pictures courtesy of Aunt Melody! We had a great Thanksgiving day with Marilyn's side of the family, at Grandma and Grandpa Maynard's house. Of course for Andi, the day consisted mostly of being squeezed by all the Great Aunts and Uncles, Grandparents and Great Grandparents:

Great Grandma Maynard.

Great Uncle Fred.

Great Aunt Melody

Grandma and Grandpa! The weather was so nice (upper 60's!), that we got to sit outside!

Andi is always the center of attention :)

Don't we look purdy :)

The Bryans. Oh how grandpa loves to get his picture taken.

Nope, no pictures of a turkey or any other food, because you know, we didn't really eat anything at all .... ;)

Daddy's home!!

Friday morning Andi and I finally got the long awaited phonecall....Ben's coming home!! We had the choice of waiting until 4:50 pm for him to fly to Laramie, or to drive to Denver and pick him up there at 1:50 pm. Since I had done just about all the waiting I could, I decided to leave right away, and drive to DIA!

One word: YAY!

We were wondering how Andi would react to seeing her Daddy again for the first time in 3 months, but even though she was a little hesitant in the first minute or so (heck, even I had to do a double take when he came up the escalator ... Army uniform, shaved head, -20lbs ...!!), she warmed up to him again really quickly, especially after hearing his familiar soothing voice.

Home with her daddy.

Daddy brought me an army bear!

This morning...having a blast playing on the floor!

Just for comparison with the top picture...below Ben and Andi right before Ben left:

A few more days ...

Ben didn't end up coming home on Sunday, and instead we get to wait just a few more days. Hopefully he'll be coming home on Thursday, though we don't know yet what time, and if that might delay into Friday.

Meantime, we are keeping plenty busy, of course. My neighbor says I'm doing a very good job acclimatizing Andi, taking her on walks with Sage even when it's cold out (though the single digits are off limits) :)

Andi's watching her mommy shovel the driveway and sidewalk from her high chair put in front of the window.


Playing together downstairs. Who doesn't like to play with measuring cups and spoons, a mini army football, package stuffing, a toy phone, a real phone and a giant dog? We all know it, kids these days like sensory overload ;)

8 months

Tuesday marked Andi's 8 month 'birthday'
... here are a couple of pictures from the last week or two:


8 month shot with Slungel






We had fun swimming with Debbie and Jo and the kids, and Debbie captured a nice shot of Andi's rolls with my camera ... this girl is healthy! :)


Playing on the floor:

In her halloween costume on Oct. 31st:

The best news? ... Ben is supposed to be coming home on Sunday! We can hardly wait .... :)